A/V Production – iOS to macOS

How To: iOS Audio, Video & MIDI over Ethernet with Apple TV

For a while now, you’ve been able to utilize Apple’s Lightning-to-USB 3 Camera Connector, along with the Apple USB Ethernet Adapter, plugged out to your Switch or Router, and so long as you plug out the Camera Connector to a 2.4A power supply, will get an Ethernet connection to your iOS device. Today I’m writing about how to utilize this same connection to stream Audio, Video, and MIDI, with no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth involved!

If your Mac is also connected via Ethernet to your Switch or Router, using Either the Apple USB Ethernet Adapter, Thunderbolt to GB Ethernet adapter, or now the TB3 to 10GB Adapter, you can also share MIDI over Ethernet with your iOS device, by utilizing the Mac’s Network Session.

Audio routing is more limited though. IDAM, being a USB protocol, won’t enumerate, nor will Studiomux be able to make a connection between the iOS device and the Mac, when connected this way.

But I discovered today, that Audio could still be routed out of the iOS device, even with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth disabled on both the Mac, and the iPad. This is where the Apple TV enters. I’m using an older Apple TV, so it’s likely to work on newer models. To work, the Apple TV needs to be connected to your Switch or Router as well via Ethernet, and you’ll need its HDMI sent Out to your input device. And of course, for that input device to receive and play out the Audio, it’ll need internal speakers, or connected out.

Lastly, connect the Apple Lightning-to-USB 3 Camera Adapter to the Lightning port on your iOS device, if you receive a power error message, you’ll need to make sure the power source connected to the Apple Lightning-to-USB 3 adapter is delivering a full 2.4A charge.

on your iOS device, go to Settings, and you should now see Ethernet listed. Tap on your listed Apple USB Ethernet Adapter on the Interfaces panel, to make sure you’ve got a listed IP Address. If it’s the first time you’re connecting this way, wait a minute or 2 for your Switch or Router to complete their configuration. If the fields are blank, Tap the Back Arrow, and then tap the listed interface again.

Apple TV Steps

Turn off Wi-Fi on the Apple TV

Connect Apple TV to the Same switch or Router as the iOS device, via the Ethernet Jack, using Cat5 or better cable.

Connect Mac to the Same Router or Switch as both your iOS device and Apple TV are connected via Cat5 or better cable, via the Apple USB to Ethernet connector, Apple Thunderbolt to GB Ethernet connector, or TB3 to Ethernet connector.

If this is your first Ethernet connection via the Mac, check to make sure the connection is working by going to System Preferences–>Network. With the Network Systems Preferences opened, you should see Ethernet connection. In my case, I’m using the Apple Thunderbolt to GB Adapter, which is titled Thunderbolt Ethernet in Network Preferences. Hopefully you’ve got a Green dot beside the listing, if it’s unhappy red, you’ll have to do some troubleshooting

If you’d like to utilize MIDI in this setup, you’ll just need to set up a MIDI Network Session in the Mac’s Audio MIDI Setup which is located in Applications–>Utilities. Open Audio MIDI Setup, if the MIDI Studio Window isn’t showing, click the Window Menu to show it. Once the MIDI Studio Window is Opened, double click the Network Icon, and Create a Network Session. If properly set up, your iOS device should be listed in the eligible Participants Window, allowing you to connect your iOS device to the Mac-Hosted Network Session, and have as many bi-directional MIDI channels you’ll need between the devices. Link, Time Code, and Beat Clock all work via the Network Session, Standard MIDI 1.0 Messages, SysEx, and even GM/SMF. If you don’t see your iPad listed in the Eligible Participants window, you’ll need to open an app that enumerates a Core MIDI, or Virtual MIDI connection. In my example, I’ve got Fugue Machine opened, with all its playheads directed to the MIDI Network Session

Finally to get the Audio Playing

Get some sound playing from an App on the iOS device

Drag up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the Control Center

In the Control Center, if you just want to pass Audio, long press on the little broadcast icon at the top of the Audio Player, now press on the next little broadcast icon, and select your Apple TV. That’s it, you should now hear the Audio playing out that device. In my case, I’ve got it hooked up to a TV, and “Internet Radio” along with a note icon is listed. if you use AUM, you’ll see the Apple TV listed as an L+R Stereo Device Hardware Output.

If you’d like to pass Audio and Video – you’ll just bring up the Control Center, and Long Press the Mirroring Window, selecting the proper device to play out the Video and Audio.